


Kikimore

by NightSkyWriter



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: And Geralt needs a vacation, Angst, BAMF Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Beta Read, Gen, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia is Bad at Communicating, Hunt Gone Wrong, Hurt Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, Jaskier isn't as incompetent as he seems, Jaskier | Dandelion Being an Idiot, Kikimore, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion, The Witcher Lore, Yennefer is Done™ with Everything, Yennefer is hiding something
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22440529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightSkyWriter/pseuds/NightSkyWriter
Summary: “Geralt!” Jaskier walked into the swamp, until his calves were submerged. There was barely a ripple from where Geralt and the monster had gone under. “GERALT!”One of the Kikimore’s arm broke through the water and it took Jaskier a second to realize Geralt was trapped in it claw. In one swift motion, it threw Geralt. He hit a tree with a sharpcrack._Geralt gets hurt on a hunt and it's left up to Jaskier and Yennefer to save the day.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Jaskier | Dandelion & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 24
Kudos: 281





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (This story is based around the Kikimore from Witcher (game/books) lore not the kikimora from Slavic mythology. Thanks for reading!!)

The swamp didn’t look any better at night than it had that day. Even in the dark, Jaskier could see the algae and gunk floated on top of the water that Geralt was, of course, wading through. The Witcher was mid-thigh in the water. Jaskier, however, was up on the bank, boots squelching into the mud with every step.  
  
“Do you have to be in—” Jaskier gestured vaguely towards the water, “—that? You’re going to smell on the way back to town. The guts of whatever we’re after aren’t going to mingle well with swamp. I don’t know. Just a guess but—”  
  
“Jaskier,” Geralt said, looking over. His eyes had the intensity they always had when he was hunting. “Shut. Up.”  
  
Jaskier rolled his eyes and bit back a retort. Yes, Geralt was rude, but distracting him on hunts rarely ended well. It’d be better to just stay silent and—  
  
“What are we hunting anyway?” Jaskier asked, stepping over a fallen tree.  
  
Geralt sighed. “A Kikimore. Very dangerous, very big. Probably just a soldier that got separated from its nestmates and went mad.”  
  
“The Banished Kikimore.” Jaskier grinned. “I can work with that.”  
  
Jaskier didn’t think Geralt was going to reply, but he eventually spoke up.  
  
“I didn’t say banished. And,” Geralt added, looking over at Jaskier, “it finds people by following noise.”  
  
Jaskier frowned and stopped walking. Geralt was probably making the last part up, but Jaskier couldn’t be sure. He started walking again, but quieter.  
  
“Stop,” Geralt said. Jaskier stopped in his tracks and glanced over to Geralt.  
  
Jaskier didn’t get a chance to ask what they were looking for. The answer rose out of the water.  
  
It was huge. Twice as tall as Geralt, but Jaskier couldn’t tell its width. Its many clawed legs made it look much wider than it probably was.  
  
Jaskier heard Geralt mutter a curse under his breath.  
  
“Jaskier,” Geralt said, “run.”  
  
Jaskier frowned. Since when did Geralt ask Jaskier to run? What was the purpose of him coming out with Geralt if it wasn’t the fight? He wasn’t there for a leisurely stroll. Besides, Jaskier couldn’t just _leave _.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted as the monster, the Kikimore, swiped at Geralt. It wasn’t fast but force behind it was visible.  
  
Geralt stepped out of the way. Before the beast could try again, Geralt’s sword came down severing the offending appendage.  
  
Jaskier winced. Bit too graphic for a song.  
  
The kikimore screeched and tried again. The two continued to swipe, dodge and cut. Neither seemed to be getting anywhere.  
  
Then Jaskier blinked and the kikimore and Geralt disappeared under the water.  
  
“Geralt?” Jaskier said, stepping closer to the water. He was pretty sure going under wasn’t part of the Witcher’s plan. “Geralt?”  
  
Any second now he would appear again, the monsters head in hand.  
  
Any second.  
  
Maybe it was just—  
  
“Geralt!” Jaskier walked into the swamp, until his calves were submerged. There was barely a ripple from where Geralt and the monster had gone under. “GERALT!”  
  
One of the Kikimore’s arm broke through the water and it took Jaskier a second to realize Geralt was trapped in it claw. In one swift motion, it threw Geralt. He hit a tree with a nasty CRACK.  
  
Jaskier forgot about the monster. He stumbled out of the swamp and ran to Geralt. He wasn’t moving.  
  
Behind him, Jaskier heard the water moving followed by a low growl as the kikimore came closer to where Jaskier was leaning over Geralt. It was coming to finish the job.  
  
Jaskier backed away from Geralt and took the last advice Geralt had given him. He ran.  
  
He ran until a glance over his shoulder told him the monster was too close to Geralt. He spun on his heel, facing the monster again. He wished he had more distance.  
  
Then, as loud as he could, he sang. Bards may not be good for much, but, even without his lute, Jaskier was loud. Loud enough to completely distract a monster whose dominant sense was sound.  
  
The kikimore turned its head and if it had eyes, it would’ve stared straight at Jaskier. The song died in his throat and his mind blanked. This may not have been his best idea.  
  
The kikimore released a shrill, bloodcurdling screech, then it was off.  
  
It wasn’t very fast, but what it lacked in speed it made up for in size. Jaskier didn’t need further prompting. He turned and ran.  
  
Jaskier didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings beyond ducking under limbs and jumping over anything that got in his way. His focus was on the monster trying to kill him. Much more distracting than Geralt let on.  
  
The trees became sparse as he and the kikimore entered a ravine. His lead on the monster was dwindling.  
  
With a skittering roar, the kikimore lashed out, its claw cutting across Jaskier’s side. He fell, cursing as he landed on his side. Jaskier rolled onto his back and looked up at the kikimore.  
  
His mind was chanting one word, over and over. _Run. _  
  
He started to push himself up before the monster could kill him, when someone was calling him.  
  
“Jaskier?” They said from their place on the bank of the Ravine. Their shout was enough to temporarily distract the monster from killing him. “Don’t move!”  
  
A portal appeared between him and the kikimore. The monster didn’t have a chance before it was falling through. It let out a final howl before the portal disappeared.  
  
Even after it was gone, Jaskier continued looking at where it was, before he leaned his head back against the dirt, screwing his eyes shut. He was still breathing hard and his side felt like it was on fire. He brushed a hand against it, and his hand came away wet.  
  
“You alright there?” Jaskier recognized the inquiring voice as Yennefer. Jaskier meant to nod but he wasn’t sure he succeeded. “Where’s Geralt?”  
  
Jaskier hesitated. He didn’t trust Yennefer and liked her less, but Geralt needed her. He pointed in the direction he’d just come from.  
  
“That way. The kikimore knocked him out I think.” Jaskier struggled to his feet. The ground seemed to tilt and spin beneath him. That wasn’t a good sign. He pressed his hand against the cut and hissed. “What are you doing here?”  
  
Yennefer shrugged.  
  
Jaskier wasn’t in the mood to argue for the answer. Really, he didn’t care why she was there. None of his business.  
  
He forced himself to ignore the world spinning around him and the two started back towards Geralt.  
  
The further they walked, Jaskier realized he didn’t recognize the path.  
  
Yennefer, however, seemed to know where she was going. Right. _Mage _. Jaskier rolled his eyes but regretted it as his vision darkened and he nearly tripped.  
  
Fine. No eye rolling.  
  
It took far too long to reach Geralt.  
  
Yennefer said something Jaskier didn’t catch as she walked over to where Geralt was still slumped against the tree. She moved his swords out of his reach before checking his head.  
  
Even after she leaned down, Jaskier remained standing. He braced an arm against the tree. If he knelt down with her, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get back up.  
  
“Why were you two after that thing?” Yennefer asked, sounding like she was talking through water. Everything sounded too distant.  
  
“Uh, he’s a witcher. Hunting monsters is part of the job.”  
  
“Yes, monsters he can defeat. Not a Queen kikimore.” She muttered something in elder and the plants around them wilted. Jaskier didn’t know what to make of that.  
  
He frowned at her. “I have no idea what that means.”  
  
“There are different…classes of kikimore. The type you two were hunting was a queen. Geralt should have known better. He should’ve run.”  
  
Jaskier nodded. Yeah, running was a good idea. Geralt didn’t believe in running though. From monsters at least. Friends, child surprises, himself; he could run from those. But never a monster.  
  
“Jaskier?”  
  
He looked up and blinked at Yennefer.  
  
She was no longer checking on Geralt and had moved a distance away from him. “I said, he should be alright until we get him back to town. It seems to just be a concussion. Are you alright?”  
  
“I don’t need your help, Yennefer." His voice didn't sound right. It was too high. "Not ever doing THAT again.”  
  
“Jaskier—”  
  
“I’m fine. Really, fine.” Jaskier pushed himself away from the tree. He had to get Roach then—  
  
Jaskier didn’t get a chance to finish his thought. He stumbled slightly before his knees gave out and he collapsed.______


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading!! <33
> 
> Thank you especially to Layla for beta reading! It means a lot!
> 
> Quick heads up:  
> In my fics, Jaskier got a grey horse soon after his fight with Geralt. The horse's name is Hex!  
> <3

The pounding in Geralt’s head woke him up. It was all he noticed for a moment, until he pushed it aside.  
  
He could feel a bed beneath him, and someone was snoring nearby.  
  
Not sensing any threats, Geralt sat up. He and Jaskier were back in their room. He vaguely remembered the night before. He’d accepted a job on a kikimore, but when he and Jaskier found it, it turned out to be a queen. He remembered telling Jaskier to run then he’d fought the kikimore. He couldn’t remember how the fight ended, but Geralt supposed the lack of recollection plus the knot on the back of his head were answer enough.  
  
Geralt glanced to the other bed. Jaskier was still asleep. The sight wouldn’t have been unusual if it weren’t for Jaskier’s blood-stained shirt and the bandage around his waist. No matter how hard Geralt hit his head, he should’ve remembered that.  
  
The door to the room opened and Geralt reached for a sword that wasn’t there.  
  
“I put them over there,” Yennefer said, pointing to the corner of the room. She walked in and shut the door behind her. “I didn’t want to risk you accidently stabbing me.”  
  
Geralt hummed. It made sense. He made his way to his sword and put it back in its scabbard, along with the various other knives she’d taken.  
  
“What happened?” Geralt asked, glancing over at her.  
  
She shrugged. “Not sure. I came in at the end. Seems you and the bard pissed off a kikimore queen.” She found a spare chair in the room and sat. “Speaking of, since when are you and Jaskier traveling together? I’d heard you two split up after the dragon?”  
  
Geralt frowned. “Long story.” Before Yennefer question him about it, Geralt changed the subject. “What was the fate of the kikimore? Is it dead?”  
  
Yennefer nodded. “Yes. It’s dead.”  
  
Geralt nodded. At least he wouldn’t have to go out and find it again. He didn’t want to try his luck with it twice.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
“Don’t thank me. It wasn’t a gift. I’ll need your help one day, and I expect to have it.”  
  
“Ever the charmer,” a voice behind Geralt said.  
  
He looked over his shoulder. Jaskier was awake and trying to sit up.  
  
“Jaskier, don’t—”  
  
“Are you trying to rip the stitches?” Yennefer interrupted. “Because I won’t do them again. You made it hard enough the first time.”  
  
Jaskier shot her a look and leaned back again.  
  
“Of course, she’s here,” Jaskier said, looking from her then down to his ruined shirt. “I was hoping last night was just a nightmare.”  
  
Their smiles at each other weren’t friendly, even by Geralt’s standards, but they also weren’t completely hostile. It wasn’t a good thing that Geralt saw that as an improvement.  
  
Jaskier leaned down again as Yennefer stood. She brushed off her skirts before looking up at Geralt.  
  
“Your horses are out in the stables. I think the grey one liked me.” The look in her eyes made Geralt think she was lying about the second part.  
  
“Hex did not like you,” Jaskier said moving to sit up again. Geralt stopped him with a look. “My horse probably hated you and you just don’t want to admit it. 

Soon after Yennefer left, Geralt and Jaskier checked out of the inn.  
  
As Yennefer promised, both Roach and Hex were in the stables. Geralt was pleased to see Roach and Jaskier’s horse, Hex, were getting along, so far at least. Roach normally didn’t like other horses. Or people. Geralt wasn’t always sure the horse liked him.  
  
They’d been on the road for almost thirty minutes before Jaskier stopped humming what was undoubtedly his next song.  
  
“Where are we going anyway?” Jaskier asked, glancing up from his lute.  
  
“There were reports of drowners a few towns away,” Geralt said. “Reasonable bounty.”  
  
Jaskier nodded. Geralt thought that would be all, but Jaskier spoke up again a moment later. “Do you think the kikimore will come back?” He asked. “Just curious. Even if it does, there is no way we’re doing that again.”  
  
Geralt shook his head. “No. Yen said she killed it.”  
  
Geralt could feel Jaskier watching him. When he glanced over, Jaskier looked on the verge of laughing.  
  
“You believed her?” Jaskier asked, but didn’t wait for a reply. “She didn’t kill it. She forced it through some kind of portal. Or at least that’s what it looked like. I haven’t actually seen a portal before so—”  
  
Geralt pulled Roach to a stop and Jaskier did the same with Hex a moment later.  
  
“You are positive she didn’t kill it?”  
  
“Of course, Geralt! I wouldn’t be able to write my songs properly if I didn’t remember— What are you doing?” He interrupted himself and Geralt started to turn Roach back around.  
  
“Change of plans. We’re finding Yennefer.”  
  
Jaskier turned Hex around and hurried to catch up.  
  
“A-are you kidding? Is this just your awful attempt at a joke?” When he didn’t reply, Jaskier continued. “Why the Hell would we do that?”  
  
“She lied.”  
  
“Yes, Geralt. People do that. What does it matter?”  
  
Geralt sighed. “Yen could have killed the kikimore. She didn’t. She transported it. She’s going to use it for something and if she thought she had to lie about it… Her plans always backfire.”  
  
“Geralt this is a bad idea. Let’s just go see some drowners. We’re less like to meet our untimely demise with them. She won’t even want your help!”  
  
Geralt didn’t entirely disagree. His only reply was a hum.  
  
***  
  
Yennefer looked up at the drab castle in barely tempered disgust. It wasn’t her style, but it was the only place in miles with a dungeon strong enough to withstand both her spells and a kikimore queen.  
  
The tall building’s dark exterior was age worn and covered in muck. Yennefer didn’t give it long before the servants and guards chose to abandon it.  
  
The guards didn’t stop her as she passed and the people in the castle didn’t spare her a glance. If her spell was still working, and of course it was, they wouldn’t even see her.  
  
She made her way to the dungeon. The monsters shrieking echoed though the castle, though Yennefer was the only one who could hear it.  
  
No one liked to be trapped. Not even monsters.  
  
The kikimore turned its head toward her when she reached the outside of its cell. Yennefer had heard of the damage the creature had caused. Everyone in the town spoke of it. The people that went missing; men, women, children, travelers and natives. The kikimore was a plague. Indifferent to who the victim was, claiming everyone it found.  
  
Yennefer lifted her hand and with a single gesture, the monster jerked with a wet snap. It was dead before it hit the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! <3
> 
> My computer kept glitching and deleting my draft of the fic, so I didn't get to post it as soon as I'd hoped. (I had to write this chapter three times so now Geralt isn't the only one with a headache 😂)
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated 💕💕💕  
> The third chapter _should _be up Monday!__
> 
> Thank you again! <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments, kudos, bookmarks and subscriptions! They mean a lot! <  
> And thank you Layla for beta reading!! <3

“This is very, very stupid,” Jaskier said, leaning against the tree Roach and Hex were tied to.  
  
It hadn’t taken them long to find where Yennefer went. Geralt blamed the ease of finding her on some kind of Witcher sense.  
  
Now, he and Geralt stood on a small hill at the edge of the trees that overlooked the castle Geralt claimed Yennefer was in. They wouldn’t be visible unless someone knew where to look.  
  
Really, the castle was barely worthy of the name. It’s rotting roof looked about to cave and the long since dried up moat had saplings growing in it. It was the most unremarkable castle Jaskier had seen.  
  
“It’s only two guards,” Geralt said.  
  
“We get absolutely nothing out of this. We can still leave. Find a nice selkiemore or drowner or whatever for you to gut. That sounds like fun, right? Geralt?”  
  
“We’re not leaving.”  
  
Jaskier watched Geralt focus on the castle as if he could see through it. Jaskier was pretty sure he couldn’t.  
  
“Just so you know,” Jaskier said, “I’m going to write the catchiest, most annoying song about this whole adventure thing. Its sole purpose will be to get stuck in that thick brain of yours until it lends you a bit of intelligence.”  
  
Geralt hummed in reply, but Jaskier wasn’t sure if the Witcher even heard him. With an exasperated sigh, Jaskier leaned his head back against the tree and began humming a tune under his breath.  
  
A moment later, Roach was nipping at his shirt.  
  
“What are you— Oh.” Jaskier frowned. Already halfway down the hill, Geralt had started towards the castle. “Thanks, Roach.”  
  
Jaskier muttered a rude name intended for Geralt and started after him. He came close to rolling down the hill more times than he’d admit while trying to catch up.  
  
“We’re going in through the front,” Geralt said.  
  
“Oh, oh, very original.” Jaskier rolled his eyes.  
  
As they got closer, Geralt’s neutral expression – that happened to look just like a frown – deepened into a true frown.  
  
“It’s the kikimore,” he said.  
  
Jaskier glanced over at him. “What are you talking about?”  
  
“The noise. That howling.” Geralt looked at Jaskier and the frown turned to what looked almost like a smirk. “You can’t hear it?”  
  
“Obviously not. What are you on about?”  
  
“Yennefer. She must’ve put a curse on the castle. Humans can’t hear the kikimore.” He shrugged. “Smart.”  
  
Jaskier’s eyes narrowed. “She put a curse on the entire flipping castle and that’s not setting off any alarms? And smart? Do not start complimenting. It’s like my mom always said about strays – you name it, you’ll become attached. Complimenting is not a good sign for you Geralt. You don’t need to become fond of th-this woman.”  
  
“It has nothing to do with fondness, Jaskier.”  
  
“Oh, really? Yeah, because, yeah, that’s exactly what it looks like. That whole deal with the dragon. Before that there was the thing with the Djinn. You went into a crumbling building to save her. You hadn’t even known her for a day at that point. You’re already fond, Geralt.” Jaskier couldn’t keep the sour tone out of his voice, so he just stopped talking. If Geralt noticed it, he didn’t show it. Typical.  
  
He continued to trudge on with Geralt. Before long, Jaskier was humming the tune again for his next song. 

Neither guard reacted when Geralt and Jaskier walked up on the bridge. In fact, it was almost like the guards didn’t even see them.  
  
Geralt’s waved a hand in front of one of the guards faces.  
  
“Uh, Geralt?” Jaskier asked. He doubted waving a hand in front of a guard’s face was good manners even for a witcher.  
  
“The spell is stronger than I thought,” Geralt said. He glanced back at Jaskier. “They can’t see us. They can’t see anyone who doesn’t belong here. I doubt any of the castle’s occupants can.”  
  
“It’s like she doesn’t want to be found. Isn’t that interesting? Definitely something we should consider. I think this is another point for team Let’s Leave And Never Come Back,” Jaskier said, watching for some kind of reaction on the others part. Instead, Geralt ignored him and walked past the guards. “Geralt?”  
  
With no small amount of cursing, Jaskier followed Geralt into the castle.

Just like the guards, the people inside the castle didn’t acknowledge Jaskier or Geralt. They looked through Jaskier as they passed. One almost collided with him, before Jaskier realized the person wasn’t going to walk around him and he moved out of the way.  
  
“This is not normal,” he muttered.  
  
Beside him, Geralt had stopped moving. Jaskier shot him a glance.  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“The kikimore. It stopped.”  
  
“Why would it do that?”  
  
Geralt shrugged. “Death usually does the trick.” He lifted his nose, smelling the air and looking more like the White Wolf in Jaskier’s songs.  
  
“You are really morbid. I don’t think that’s healthy.”  
  
“Blood,” Geralt said, ignoring Jaskier. “She killed the kikimore.”  
  
“Oh, good, good. I wasn’t looking forward to meeting it again. It was a real arse—”  
  
“Jaskier, are you incapable of shutting up?” Geralt interrupted.  
  
A person with better survival skills may have stopped talking if a witcher who looked like Geralt said that to them, but Jaskier had long since proven that he was born without survival skills. So, he replied.  
  
“Are you incapable of manners?” He said. When Geralt shot him a glare, Jaskier didn’t look away. Geralt brought Jaskier into the castle, he was going to have to deal with the consequences.  
  
Geralt sighed and walked away. He dodged the occasional servant and guard as he continued through the castle. Watching him, Jaskier had a feeling the witcher was just following the smell of blood and that was slightly disturbing.  
  
Eventually Geralt paused in front of a descending staircase.  
  
He started down the stairs, with Jaskier close behind him.  
  
Before they were halfway down, even Jaskier could smell the blood. The iron mixed with something that smelled like the swamp they’d found the Kikimore in.  
  
Jaskier covered the bottom half of his face in the crook of his elbow.  
  
The stairs opened up into what looked like a dungeon. The kikimore’s body was on the floor of the first cell. It had a deep cut into its side and the blood had seeped out of the cell and now covered most of the floor.  
  
He tore his gaze away and focus on Yennefer.  
  
Her forearms and dress were also coated in the kikimore’s blood. With a start, he realized she was holding something that looked like—  
  
“The Nerve of a Kikimore Queen,” Geralt said. Yennefer didn’t react to his voice beyond a small glance over her shoulder. “That’s what all of this was about?”  
  
She dropped the nerve in a bottle along with various herbs that Jaskier didn’t recognize.  
  
“Isn’t the nerve enough?” Yennefer asked. She poured a liquid into the bottle and swirled it around.  
  
The mixture looked like it was glowing.  
  
“The potion won’t work for you. Potions with the Nerve are for witchers and elves—”  
  
“Exactly,” she said. She looked away from the potion and finally focused on Geralt. “Elves.”  
  
“You’re a sorceress, Yen. Controlling chaos doesn’t make you an elf.”  
  
Yennefer laughed, but she didn’t look amused. “I’m not an idiot.”  
  
“Are you a, um, elf?” Jaskier asked. Geralt gave him an exasperated look to which Jaskier replied with a ‘what?’ gesture. He hadn’t ever actually seen her ears, so how would he know if she was or not?  
  
“A quarter of my blood is elven.”  
  
“That isn’t enough to take their potions,” Geralt said. “You’re too human!”  
  
“Your insolence isn't endearing, Geralt,” she said. “It will work.”  
  
Geralt continued to glare at her but she wasn’t budging.  
  
“Geralt,” Jaskier said, low enough that he doubted Yennefer could hear.  
  
“What do you want Yen? Borch said you wouldn’t ever get your—”  
  
“Don’t tell me what I already know, Geralt! It has nothing to do with that.” She lifted up the bottle, studying it. “This will enhance my abilities. I’ll be more powerful. Then I can… I can have it all.”  
  
Before Geralt could reply, Yennefer drank the potion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> Comments make my day, so if you'd like to leave one, I always appreciate it!!  
> Thank you again!! <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wouldn't post properly yesterday, so it's a day late. I hope you enjoy!

The potion didn’t take long to work.  
  
Yennefer leaned back against the table where she had mixed the potion, muscles tight and eyes screwed shut. She could feel the potion burning white hot as it coursed through her veins.  
  
The chaos around her usually flowed like water, unstoppable. Relentless. It outlasted everyone and it would still be there long after Yennefer was gone. But now, it was jagged and angry. It lashed out. Yennefer had learned to control and contain chaos decades ago, but this chaos was different. More powerful.  
  
“Yennefer!” Yennefer looked up, locking eyes with Geralt. He took a step forward.  
  
She held up a hand to stop him. Unbidden, chaos ran down her arm. Before she could stop it, it exploded.  
  
Without warning, Geralt and Jaskier flew back and slammed into the wall.  
  
All around them, the dungeon walls fractured from the blast and cracks spread across the ceiling. The stairs themselves split down the middle and the damage continued up to the levels of the castle above the dungeon. She couldn’t see the full extent of the damage.  
  
Geralt pushed himself to his feet again and gave her a look. Behind him, Jaskier also stood, albeit slower. He kept one hand behind him, braced on the wall.  
  
“Unforeseen side effects,” Yennefer said in way of explanation.  
  
The potion stopped burning and she was left with the tingling sensation that remained. The chaos around her calmed, but it was…louder than normal. Easier to access.  
  
Yennefer smiled. “It worked.”  
  
Geralt straightened his armor and started to reply, but he was interrupted by an echoing creak from the castle walls. The ground beneath them shook and loose bits of stone fell from the ceiling.  
  
“We need to go,” Jaskier said, stepping away from the wall. “This entire place is going to fall. Could you not have picked a stronger castle? This one is—”  
  
“This castle may not be as grand as the ones you are used to, but its purpose isn’t to collect praise for the host of a banquet. The task I required of it was to hold a queen kikimore. Its strength isn’t as lacking as—”  
  
The castle creaked again, louder and longer than before, followed by a thunderous crash.  
  
The above floors erupted in screams and the sound of people running. Escaping.  
  
“You were saying?” Jaskier asked.  
  
“Go,” Geralt said, ushering them both towards the stairs. Yennefer took the stairs two at a time and Jaskier and Geralt weren’t far behind her.  
  
The upper floor was empty of people by the reached it. The roof had collapsed, and the rubble covered the floor in huge chunks.  
  
“You did all of this?” Jaskier asked, as they all hurried for the door. Yennefer decided not to reply.  
  
The rifts in the walls and floor were widening into large crevices. The entire castle was going to fall.  
  
Behind them, the dungeon caved.  
  
Yennefer could hear more walls and ceilings falling.  
  
They ran out of the castle and had barely stepped onto the bridge before Geralt held out both arms forcibly stopping her and Jaskier.  
  
The center of the bridge had crumbled.  
  
Yennefer glanced over the side.  
  
The moat was dry, but steep. Even if they thought they could jump the bridge – which Yennefer doubted even Geralt could jump this distance – the fall was too much of a risk.  
  
The remaining parts of the bridge weren’t going to hold much longer either.  
  
She stepped away from the edge and held up a hand.  
  
Infront of her a portal swirled into existence.  
  
“Go,” she said. Jaskier didn’t hesitate. He walked through first and Geralt followed close after. Yennefer closed it behind her.  
  
The rest of the castle collapsed.

  


Yennefer stepped out the other side of the portal.  
  
They hadn’t gone far. She could still see what was left of the castle from the nearby field she’d portaled them to. Most of the field was flat until it turned up into a slope that lead to the tree line. She could see movement but upon closer look, it was just Roach and Hex.  
  
“Why is it that every time you try to strengthen your power, you make a castle collapse?” Jaskier said. He stood a few feet away, watching the castle.  
  
Parts of it were on fire and smoke blanketed the area. The former inhabitants of the castle stood a distance away. It seemed most of them made it out.  
  
Yennefer turned away from the castle and gave Jaskier a look. “Remind me again, why I saved you from the kikimore? Because I have only had reason to regret it since.”  
  
“First off,” Jaskier said, “that’s rude. Secondly, had I not expressed my full, unwavering support to come here and stop this—” he gestured to the remains of the castle “—Geralt would not have come. So, by insisting we come here, I saved you. We’re even.”  
  
Going by the look Geralt was giving Jaskier, Yennefer believed it was safe to assume that was false.  
  
“If we’re going to find a town before nightfall, we should get going,” Geralt said, starting up the hill towards the horses. Jaskier followed.  
  
“I’m not going with you,” Yennefer said. They both turned around to look at her. “I have business to attend to elsewhere.”  
  
“You just took an experimental potion that ended up taking down an entire castle. You don’t know the what this potion could still do to you. You should come with us.” Geralt said.  
  
“I can take care of myself,” she said. Movement caught her eye and she glanced over to Jaskier. Yennefer frowned. “I thought I told you not to tear the stitches.”  
  
Jaskier looked down. Blood was beginning to seep through his shirt again and, though she wouldn’t admit it, Yennefer figured it was probably her fault. She had thrown him into a wall.  
  
With a wave of her hand the blood disappeared, and the cut healed itself.  
  
“Oh,” Jaskier said, “thanks.”  
  
“Don’t bother. I haven’t tried that before. It was a test.”  
  
Jaskier’s face fell and Geralt looked as close as he could to laughing. With that, Yennefer created a portal behind her and walked through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! Your kudos and comments have made this a lot of fun! <3 
> 
> If you enjoyed this fic, I have another Witcher fic 'Bad Luck.' And I'm done self promoting lol
> 
> Thank you again!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Witcher is one of my new favorite shows so this was simultaniously a lot of fun and a lot of pressure to write, lol
> 
> If you enjoyed it, 🎶 Toss a Kudo to your Writer, Oh Archive of Plenty 🎶
> 
> This is my first work in the fandom, so all comments/critiques are greatly appreciated. I wrote this at like 3:00am so let me know if they're any typos, ooc, etc.
> 
> Thank you all again! <3
> 
> (Oh! And btw, the different classifications of Kikimore are solider, worker and queen. Queen's are nearly impossible for a witcher to kill and witchers- should - always run. A full grown queen can kill a witcher with a single hit. Since she didn't hit Geralt or Jaskier head on, they didn't die. Hope this clears things up. Also note, I haven't actually played the game or read the books. My knowledge on kikimores comes from what I've read on my own research and watching the Netflix show. Hope that helps!)
> 
> If you enjoy the fic, HMU on Tumblr, @NightSkyWriter !! ☺️☺️


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